DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University cross country team will compete in six races over two months, including five consecutive competitions within the Carolinas, as part of its 2023 schedule.
 
The Eagles will open up its season with two familiar Friday races that will be contested one week apart.
 
NCCU will first return to the coast for the UNCW Beach Blast for a third consecutive season, with the opening men's and women's 5k races scheduled for Sept. 9. The Eagles will then remain local at the adidas XC Challenge hosted by North Carolina State University at WakeMed Soccer Park on Sept. 16. NCCU has competed in that big nearby event every season since 2016. 

The maroon and gray will conclude the first month of the season at the Winthrop/Adidas Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 30. The Winthrop Farm cross country course in Rock Hill, South Carolina, has hosted an NCAA cross country regional in the past.
 
After being canceled last season due to inclement weather, NCCU is slated to return to the Cedric Walker HBCU Challenge, which is contested on the same WakeMed Soccer Park cross country course in Cary, North Carolina, as the Adidas XC Challenge. The HBCU Challenge is a part of the Great American XC Festival and the Cedric Walker races have been moved to Friday, Oct. 6.
 
NCCU will have its final tune-up before toeing the line against its league rivals, the Eagles will participate in the Upstate Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 14. The race will serve as a preview to the NCAA Southeast Regional that USC Upstate will also host at the Milliken Research Park on Friday, Nov. 10.
 
The 2023 MEAC Cross Country Championships returns to Delaware State University for a second consecutive year. The teams that claim the MEAC titles on Saturday, Oct. 28, will automatically advance to the NCAA regionals.
 
The 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championships will be hosted by the University of Virginia on Saturday, Nov. 18.
 
NOTES: The NCCU cross country schedule is subject to change, and fans are encouraged to visit NCCUEaglePride.com for the most up-to-date schedule information. For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com, or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.